RICHMOND, VA. (WAVY) – The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) is set to provide temporary financial assistance to people whose employment or self-employment was impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Following President Joe Biden’s approval of a major disaster declaration for Virginia on Tuesday, it permits the VEC to grant Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) to unemployed individuals.
DUA is a federal unemployment program that provides temporary payments for people who, as a direct result of Hurricane Helene:
- No longer have the job that provided their primary source of income
- Are unable to reach their place of employment.
- Cannot work because of an injury caused by the storm.
- Were unable to begin employment or self-employment due to the storm.
- You became the primary support of your family because of the death of the head of the
household because of the disaster
Unemployment is a direct result of the major disaster if the unemployment resulted from:
- The physical damage or destruction of the place of employment
- The physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to its closure by the federal,
state, or local government in immediate response to the disaster. - Lack of work, or loss of revenues, if, prior to the disaster, the employer or self-employed
business received at least a majority of its revenue or income from an entity in the major
disaster area that was damaged or destroyed in the disaster or an entity in the major
disaster area closed by the federal, state, or local government.
This benefit will be provided to those impacted by Hurricane Helene in the following communities: Giles, Grayson, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington and Wythe Counties and the City of Galax.
DUA applies to losses beginning Sept. 25, 2024.
The VEC will accept applications for 60 days from Oct. 2 through Dec. 1. The last payable week of the DUA benefits ends April 5, 2025. Eligibility for this emergency benefit will be decided on a week-to-week basis for each week you file your claim.
Apply for the DUA benefits online at VEC’s Claimant Self Service here. For more information about DUA, visit VEC’s website.